Thread counting device



NOV. 13, 1951 E; SWlNDELLS 2,575,144

THREAD COUNTING DEVICE Filed May 23, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET l Nov. 13, 1951 E. swlNDELLs THREAD COUNTING DEVICE 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed May 23, 1949 WKN.

QW E Patented Nov. 13, 1951 THREAD COUNTING DEVICE Edwin Swindells, Maccleseld, England, assgnor one-half to Brocklehurst-Whiston Amalgamated Limited, Macclesfield, EnglamLfa British company Application May 23, 1949, Serial No. 94,890 Claims. (Cl. v23E-fill) This invention relates to thread counting devices and particularly to devices for counting the warp ends for entry into heddles associated with a cross reed on an entering stand of a loom.

t will be appreciated that the selection of the appropriate number of diiierent coloured warp threads for a required pattern is normally a lengthy and tedious business and an object of the present invention is to provide a device which will facilitate this work.

According to this invention a thread counting device comprises a thread supporting member across which the threads to be counted may extend in spaced relationship, means holding said threads against said supporting member but adapted to permit them to slide along and over one end of that member, a yielding element disposed at one end of said supporting member and adapted to be engaged successively by said threads as they slide over the end of the member whereby successive movements are imparted to said yielding element and a counter driven by said element. Preferably the supporting member is arranged transversely to the vertical and a downward force is imparted to the ends oi the threads so as to maintain them in engagef ment with a face of the supporting member.

The end of the supporting mem/ber is slotted and the yielding element projects into ,sa-id slot with a part thereof in the path of the sliding movement of said threads.

The aforesaid yielding element may comprise a toothed wheel so rotatably mounted that its teeth may pass into and out of said slot whereby the teeth are successively engaged by successive threads.

In an alternative arrangement an oscillatory mounted yielding toothed element is arranged to project into the slot so as to be successively engaged by said threads and a ratchet drive is arranged between the oscillatable toothed element and the counter.

In either of the arrangements referred to above another member may be arranged to extend along and in spaced relationship to said supporto ing member and the aforesaid yielding element is carried by said other member. For example, -the member may be arranged to extend along and over the face of the supporting member. The thread counting device may be mounted on an entering stand of a loom. The 'mounting may be such as to permit the thread supporting member to be adjustable about an upright axis and also along that axis.

The following is a description of two alterna- '2 tive forms of thread counting device according to the invention reference being made to the alc' companying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective View of the thread counting device mounted on an entry stand for a loom, Figure 2 is a side elevation of the thread supporting member and counter operating mechaf nism,

Figure 3 is a plan view of the arrangement shown in Figure 2,

Figure 4 is an end elevation of the arrangement shown in Figure 2 looking from the left. Figure 5 shows an alternative form of drive for the counter. Figure 6 is an end elevation of the arrangement shown in Figure 5 with a part of the mechanism in section.

As will be seen from Figure 1 the entering stand IB is arranged to support in known mane ner the cross reed II. The entering stand care ries at its upper end a cross member I2 to which is attached a bracket arm I3 having a socket Iii at its extremity. vertically adjustable .in the socket is a rod I5 which may be secured in the adjusted position by av clamping screw I6. Mounted at the upper end ofthe rod I5 is a head H which head is secured in'position by a clamping screw I8. A thread supporting bar I 9 is xed Yto a laterally extending boss 20 so as .to extend at right angles to the rod I5. `Pivotall`y mounted to the top of the head is a member 2I having a boss 22 in which is iixed a bar 23. A pivot pin is arranged to extend through .the member 2| and the head and is provided" at one end with an enlarged head 24 and at the other end with a threaded portion 25 which is engaged by a clamping nut 2t. The bosses 2l] and `22'are formed with projections 2l and 28 respectively,

the latter vor which is provided with a thread.- ed hole engaged by a set-screw 29, the .lower ex,- tremity of which abuts against the projection 2'I whereby the bar 23 is held in required -spaced relationship with the bar I9. The end of `the bar i9 is slotted at 3B on its upper side. AThe end of the bar 2 3 carries a counter U3 I which is driven by a toothed wheel 32 the teeth of which project into the slot 3G. After the device has `been assembled on the entering stand Il) in .the manner shown in Figure ,1, it is swung into a convenient position for v,handling the yarn .ends 4from the Warp vbeam 4`0r Creel and lfor entering them into their proper position in the cross reed II. The bar 23 is pivoted upwardly and the Warp threads of one colour, say for one stripe,

are laid over the bar I9. The ends of the threads are tied together and have secured to them a small weight 33. The weight is sufcient to hold the threads in spaced relationship along the bar I9. The bar 23 is then lowered until Ythe end of Ythe set-screw 29 rests on the projection 21 when the teeth of the wheel 32 extend freely into the slot 30. It will be seen from Figure 2 that the counter is provided with `a boss 34 secured to the end of the arm 23 by a pin 35 and a plate 36 is provided on theY underside of the boss and to one side of Vthe toothed wheel, which plate is arranged to guide the threads as they are slid along the bar into position for engaging the teeth 'on the wheel 32. The counter is provided with a settingknob 3l for zeroizing it. The warp threads are then drawn off the end of the bar I9 one at a time i and placed in the appropriate positions in the cross reed Il on thevstand I0. As each thread is drawn oi the bar it slides under the yplate 33 into engagementwith one of the teeth of the wheel causing a partial rotation of the wheel which is so geared. to the counting mechanism "as to register one unit.

, In the arrangement shown in Figures 5 and 6 the shaft 38 of the counter 3I has secured to it a ratchet wheel 39 by means of a pin'i. The ratchet wheel is provided with a boss 4I on which is rotatably mounted a casing 42 having a downwardly extending finger, 43 which passes into a slot 44 at the end of the arm I9. Pivotally mounted at 45 within the casing is a pawl 46 which may engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel. The arrangement is such that as the warp threads are slidr along the bar I9 between it and the plate I6; they engage the nger 43 rotating the casing ,42 clockwise, whereupon the pawl 46 engages a tooth ofV the ratchet wheel. Eventually the thread passes clear of the nger 43 and the bar I9, ,whereupon the weight of the nger rotates 'the casing anti-clockwise and the pawl will be carried over the succeeding tooth. VIn orderl that the return movement of the linger 43 may be limitedj the finger is arranged to extend through 'a loop 41 fixed to the bracket 48 which supports the' counter 3 I. j.' Iclaim:

f 1,;A thread counting device comprising a thread supporting member across which the threads to be counted may extend in spaced relationship, loading means securing together the Aends of the threads and holding said threads against saidsupporting member and permitting them-t0 be slid along and over one end thereof, which end is provided with a slot, a yielding element projecting into said slot having a part thereof in the path of the sliding movement of said thread so as to be successively engaged by said thread and have successive movements imparted thereto, and a counter driven by said vyielding element..

2. A thread counting device comprising a thread I supporting member across which the threads to be counted may extend in spaced relationship, loading means securing together the ends of the threads and holding said threads `Aagainst said supporting member and permitting them to be slid along and over one end thereof, -Which end is provided with a slot, a toothed wheel so rotatably mounted that its teeth may pass into and out of said slot and when in the slot have a part thereof in the path of sliding movement of the threads so that said wheel has imparted thereto successive partial rotations as the threads are passed over the end of the supporting member, and a counter driven by said wheel.

3. A thread counting device comprising a thread supporting member across which the threads to be counted may extend in spaced relationship, loading means securing together the ends of the threads andholding said threads againstsaid supporting member and permitting them to be slid along and over one end thereof. which end is provided with a slot, an oscillatably mounted yielding toothed element projecting into said slot so as to be successively engaged by said threads during their sliding movement over the end of said supporting member, whereby the element is moved in one direction, loading means forV moving it in the opposite direction, a counter, and a ratchet drive between the counter and said oscillating toothed element.

4. A thread counting device comprising an upright, a thread supporting member fixed at one end to said upright so as to extend transversely thereto and across which supporting member said threads extend in spaced relationship, loading means securing together the ends of the threads and holding said threads against said supporting member and permitting them to be slid along and over one end thereof, a second member pivotally mounted above said supporting member with its pivot axis adjacent said upright means holding said threads against said supporting member but adapted to permit them to be slid along and over the end thereof, which end is provided with a slot, a yielding element carried by said member so as to extend into said slot and so as to lie in the path of sliding movement of said threads whereby successive movements are imparted to said-yielding element, a counter driven by said yielding element, and means for adjusting the extent of pivotal movement of said member towards the supporting surface.

5. An entering stand for a loom having a socket attached'thereto, an upright rod rotatably and axially adjustable in said socket, a head at the upper end of said rod, two bars mounted one above the other on'said head, the lower of which bars is fixed and constitutes a supporting member for the threads which extend across it and are slidable along it over its end and the upper of which bars is pivote-d to swing in an up-and-down direction, a slot at the end of the fixed bar, a yielding element carried by the upper bar and projecting into said slot and having a part thereof in the path of sliding movement of said threads as they are slid over the end of said member so as to impart successive movement to said yielding element, and a counter driven by said element.

EDWIN SWINDELLS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

